The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-04-08
BISHOP KAHN REPLIES
To Rev. DR.. Cunningham's Letter, on Pro.
w ...,tliI testant Faith. n (

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To Rev. DR.. Cunningham's Letter on Pro,
&'1 NJ, tsstant Faith. NE L
10 ne Edltor Of tn Ia,ellicenee.
slR:-Rev. Dr.. Cunningham, OF the
Frat Presbyterian church Of this city
Bays. in your issue Of this morning, that
have no right to mlsrspressnt the system
Of Professionalism, and In this assertion
fully agree with the Doctor. I have
drawn my convictions Of that system
from It's recognized opponents As we'll a.
from its practical workings; but II my con.
illusions and observations are erroneous,
! shall be only too glad to retract any.
thing ] have said which reflects anything
on that system. IA. s.g iif '3.E :
The Doctor maIntains that Protestants
arc quite sure Of Gods revelations, and
must add, Of course. Of the meaning Of
these revelations. Now, am not attack.
Ing the personal convictions Of Protest.
ants, many Of whom, ! am quite satisfied,
adhere to their tenets with such tenacity
that they would no doubt rather die than
surrender them. But the question 10,
does the Protestant Hysetm OF private In.
depreciation Of the Scriptures Justify thi.
tenacious adherence to any OF the revealed
truths? Apart from the unerring author.
ity Of tho Catholic Church, how can the
inspiration Of the Bible bo satisfactorily
proved? The inspiration granted, how
can anyone be absolutely sure that his
Interpretation Of any paseage is the cor.
rect one? Aa have said, docs not the
Unitarian base his denial OF Christ's Di.
vinity on the teachings Of the Holy Scrip
lures? Surely the Doctor must admit
that his interpretation Of the various texts
he cites In favor Of bis position. is false
and impious. Does not the Protestant
Epiecopalian extract from the very same
Bible which Presbyterians use, the insti.
tuition and necessity Of the Episcopacy and
Of apostolic succession? But 1t would
be q waste OF time to enter into any lengthy
argument to prove the contradictory tenets
adopted from the same Bible BY the
various forms Of Protestant Christianity,
Surely the Doctor will not argue that such
manifest contradictions are evidences Of
certainty. In my last lecture gave q
practical illustration Of these contradic.
tory views held by members Of the game
denomination and communing at the same
table. One asserted mos. positively that
in the Lords Supper he received the real
body and blood OF Christ; whilst the
other maintained quite as emphatically
that the minister had given him nothing
but bread and wine. Are these opinions
not contradictory one Of the othsr2 II 80,
both OF these communicate could not
have certainty. Therefore, Theoretically
and practically, tho Protestant system
must necessarily undermine all certainty
as to tho true meaning Of Divine Rsvela.
ton. ......7 :,
The second and third points Of the Doc.
tors letter refer TO the doctrine OF iustiti.
cation. I am delighted to hear tho Doctor
maintain that Christ's redemption applied
to the soul, docs wash away sin (I pre-.
sumo Of course he means the guilt Of SIM.
and at least insinuate that real holiness Ia
impaired to the justified soul. But tho
quotations made by the Doctor from the
"shorter Catechism" will hardly bear him
ont in this profession. Therein We rssd
Of only "a righteousness Of Christ Imputed
to us," and not Of righteousness or holi.
ness which IL really ours. Does Christ in
justitying us not only wash away the stain
Of sin from our souls, but communicate to
us a share Of His own holiness, 30 that wa
are not only accounted holy, but are truly
holy, because partaking OF Christ's own
holiness? II 30, then the justified man
must be no longer "dead in his sins," but
truly alive, sharing in the viyifying and
aanctifying virtue OF Jesus Christ. Thig
the westminster Larger Catechism" de-
nlee. The Doctor quoted the answer given
IN the Smaller Catechism" to the ques.
ton. What is odectual calling?" | re-
Ter him to the answer given in tho larger
Catechism" Up. l79. Edition Of Towar /
Hogan, Philadelphia, 1927 to the same
question. where We are told that the
elect, even when justified, are ''in
themselves dead in sin." How they can
be alive in Christ and psrtakers Of His life
and yet "dead In SIM" it is not easy to
comprehend. I was told some years AGO
by q Presbyterian minister that Preeby.
terians were not bound to follow the
teachings ofthe" Westminister Catechism.
or formulated c1eeds. Some twelve or
fourteen years ago, Presbyterian paper
OF baltimore contained sermon highly
iaiudatory Of the "ApostIes' Creed" as the
formula of Christian belief.
ABOUT the same time Presbyterian paper
OF Richmond published an article violent.
~ assai!lng that same Apostlea' Creed AZ
containing dangerous and heretical doc.
lrines. But nowhere have l heard of a
presbyterian minister departing 40 far
rom the views laid down by Calvin in
6is lnHhtutea" as to adopt the Catholic
doctrine OF Inherent justification and real
holiness; as Dr.. Cunningham seems to do.
and tor the doing which | sincerely con.
zratulate him. Jouy ]. KAiv
~, ;. Bishop Of Wheeling.
April !. 1887.